Instead, SMU relied on the arm of Garrett Gilbert to avoid final-play
dramatics against Connecticut.

Gilbert threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Mustangs to a
38-21 victory over the Huskies on Saturday at Ford Stadium.

It was the first meeting between the teams since the 1989 “Miracle on
Mockingbird,” a 31-30 victory in SMU’s second game back from the so-called
“death penalty.”

After averaging 5.25-point margins in their first four American Athletic
Conference games, the Mustangs had to be satisfied with a functional win.

SMU (4-5, 3-2 American Athletic Conference) kept alive its hopes for a fifth
straight bowl appearance. The Mustangs, with games remaining against South
Florida, Houston and Central Florida, need two wins to become bowl eligible.

UConn (0-9, 0-5) did not go quietly. The Huskies pulled within 28-21 on
Geremy Davis’ 26-yard touchdown reception with 10:05 left in the fourth
quarter.

“Well, we won,” SMU coach June Jones said. “Made it, as we always do, a
little harder than it is supposed to be.”

Gilbert, the nation’s leader in total offense, continued his assault on the
SMU record book with his eighth 300-plus-yard passing game, including five
straight, this season.

He threw touchdown passes of 5 and 4 yards to Jeremy Johnson, and of 1 and 20
yards to Keenan Holman. Gilbert’s 23-yard run to UConn’s 1-yard line set up the
first score.

“They came out and did some things we hadn’t seen on tape, so we had to make
some adjustments,” Gilbert said. “We’d like to start faster, but a good job by
our guys for making those adjustments and making plays.”

Gilbert has a school-record 316 completions and 3,390 passing yards this
season. With three games left, he needs 439 yards to break Kyle Padron’s school
mark (3,828).

After the Huskies cut SMU’s lead to seven with 10:05 left, they gave the
Mustangs prime field position with a 14-yard punt against the wind.

Seven plays later, Chase Hover kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it
31-21.

On UConn’s next drive, SMU linebacker Stephon Sanders intercepted Casey
Cochran’s throw and went 35 yards for a touchdown.

“I was just playing the defense like we’re supposed to,” Sanders said. “It
was a fire zone there, and when that happens, the ball comes out quick.”

With freshman Darrion Richardson also making an interception, the Mustangs
made it through consecutive games without a turnover. They entered the game
minus-7 in turnover margin.

Sanders surprised himself with the nice catch and his speed down the
sideline.

“I just took one step at a time,” he said. “The first was having to catch it.
I just saw the end zone and kept running.”